RB091: Stop Working Out and DWYLT Instead! [AUDIO BLOG]

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I decided to share one of my favorite articles with you today since it’s Thanksgiving tomorrow and I am sure most of you are as busy as I am. I coined the idea of DWYLT: Do What You Love, Today! This idea stemmed from the many emails that I have received over the years from people who are burned out on exercise and working out.

I have definitely been in the same boat! DWYLT is the idea that instead of being a slave to cardio or the gym, that you listen to what your body is telling you it wants to do! I list the 15 different activities that I like to do depending on what I have the itch to do. It’s not about schedules, tracking performance or feeling like I “have to” do something. I wake up and decide to do what I love, today.

Adopting this mentality will change you inside and out! It allows you the opportunity to put yourself first and do what you love to do. It will free you to play and enjoy movement and exercise! Imagine that!! Imagine not being dependent on motivation and do what you love, today!

Post your own list of activities you love to do in the comments and let everyone know that you are taking action on this!

Kevin Geary is the founder of RebootedBody.com and a respected expert on cravings, eating psychology, and long-term habit change. He’s worked with thousands of men and women in over 35 countries around the world through his online academy and programs like Shut Down Your Sugar Cravings.

2 Comments

I think the “today” on the end of DWYLT really resonates with me in another way: I have a nasty of habit of turning things into assignments, of giving myself checklists and striving for perfectionism. But to me, the “today” means that I don’t have to accomplish any particular activity just out of a sense of prior commitment. It means I need to stop, check in with my body, and see what it feels like doing *today*. It’s very freeing, actually. Thanks for helping me to look at this in a fresh, positive, way.

My list o’ loves:

* Walking around my neighborhood. I live in a lovely old residential neighborhood in Baltimore, with lots of sidewalks and some impeccable gardens. I love seeing how they change with the seasons. A related love: popping over to the Baltimore Zoo to take advantage of my annual pass. It’s in a gorgeous, hilly park, and has the added bonus of a polar bear or a giraffe around each corner.

* Hiking: lots of state parks near me, including one within walking distance. I adore walking in nature, with the sound of birdsong and a stream running nearby. (I detest those negative Pinterest ‘fitspo’ quotes, too. I’m gonna combat it by making a board of all the parks and hiking trails within fifty miles of Baltimore.)

* Geocaching: either urban or in a state park, this is the prefect combination of scavenger hunt, exploration, and walking.

* Strength training: about twice a week, I like to spend half an hour with dumbbell or bodyweight exercises. Love feeling each muscle in my body waking up and doing its thing.

* Gardening: bought an older house a couple years back, so there’s plenty of work to be done. Nothing more functional than digging in the dirt, moving it around, laying out a new bed, and helping things grow.

* Soccer with my niece: I stink at soccer. I’m utterly wretched. Doesn’t matter, though: my niece is only three, and we’re well-matched. I adore running around the yard with her. Amazing how elated I feel after an afternoon of chasing after a pre-schooler.

* Biking: I don’t do this too often, since I no longer have a bike of my own, but I’m committing to changing that. Definitely going to spring for a new bike as a birthday gift to myself this April.

Question: I know lifting weight is good for me as a female… but other than occasionally while gardening and hiking, none of my activities involve lifting anything heavy. Does anyone have a suggestion for a fun way to incorporate lifting weight on a regular basis? Right now I lift weights at the gym, but I find it boring followed by achey.